Two more sleeps til the Cooper Creek

Rockape,
I know what you lad is going through. My old man was 46yo when I was born, so by the time I wanted to get out and kick the ball, he was too old and back aches etc had kicked in from years of slogging his guts out.

In regards to material items, we never went without even though my folks were tight bums. But the one thing I missed which money could never buy were the memories. My old man died 6 years ago and although there were few father/son bonding moments, the ones we shared will live with me forever.

One thing I learnt was to differentiate between quality time and quantity time. Now as a father of 3 young kids, I never pass up the opportunity to read a story together, dig for worms, play cricket or attend school functions.

I almost fell into the trap my old man fell into. And that is to work to live, not live to work. I gave up my corporate job, company car, expense account etc for a job that has set hours and little weekend work. Do I miss it? Hell no! At the end of the day, I found that what I was doing was ALL for me. My kids didn't care if they ate at a fancy resturant or ate home made pizzas. They didn't care if they had a SS Jumbo cricket bat or a Spalding, and they didn't care what car they drove around in. What they care most about was that I take them to their sporting games on the weekend, have tea with them, tucked them in at night and be there for them when the tears are flowing.

Greed is slowly erroding the staples of family life. Hence, like everyone who's reading this, us smarter people see the benefit of taken the time to travel, see and share moments with our loved ones and crave the need to get out beyond phone range and create those life long memories.

When were old and grey and shacked up in a nursing home with limited outside access, staring out the window at the sunlight will trigger sights, sounds and smells from our past, a healthy bank account will not be worth the paper the statement is written on.

Rockape....seize the moment. You're never too old and neither are your kids. Live everyday as your last and treasure every new day with the enthusiasm that kids do on a Sunday morning. Live with no regrets because one day, tomorrow will not come.

OK...am I religious? No. But to let you all in on a little secret, just 13 months ago, I was on my death bed after a bad motorbike accident. Amazing how much my life changed after this event. As sad and as painful as it was, and still is some days, my prang was the best thing that ever happened to me. Don't find out what you're really missing by accident.

Fab.

Thanks Stephen,
Agree, two very different scenarios. Mmmm, I might spend one night at each.

I really want to get a feel for the amount of traffic that goes across the ferry. Our big family holiday later in the year (Sept/Oct school holidays) will take us across the ferry and up into QLD, so I'll use this oportunity to gauge the delay.

Thanks Stephen, I knew I could count on you. ;)

Fab.

Hi Fab
I do not know if you have seen the news tonight, but the Lake Eyre Yacht Club's first ever regatta starts tomorrow and has attracted members from all over Australia to take part in Australia's most unique event ever. The road out to the ferry sight will be very busy, so it would be unfair to gauge the amount of traffic there at this stage. Jason has graded a road to Lake Kopperamanna where the Regatta will be stages and they will be camping there.

Your children are going to have a ball and so will you.

All the Best and have a fantastic trip.

Regards

Stephen

Hi Jim
Thanks for that, and that was the reason why I wanted to share the information, so people like you will get the urge to head up and see water that will last for a while. Once it has all dried up, it could be decades before we see such an event again.

You are in for a real shock and will find it hard to believe that there is just so much water there.

Have a great trip and if your children want to see it in October, the water will still be there.


Cheers

Stephen

Hmmmmm,

Oct may be a possibility, have booked into Rawnsley park but nothing saying we couldn't bug out early and take the camper up to Maree.

Another quick question if I may, the Paj is fairly new and a company car so can't easily chage over tyres that are only 7000km old.

I'm running Bridgestone HT 265/65/R17 and planning on taking them down to 26-28 psi do you envisage any problems if I be careful and sensible and drive to the conditions.

Cheers

PS if you are coming up to the Riverland at any stage and I can repay the favour just shout ;)

Hi Jim
We are regulars to the Riverland and it is a top part of our State.

Track conditions can vary greatly, but drive to the conditions. The dirt sections between Lyndhurst and Marree were as good as they get and I could have sat on 100 kph. Having said that I sit on 80 kph as you never know what is over the next rise or around the next corner.

The first 20 odd kilometres north of Marree were in top condition, followed by about 20 odd kilometres of usual Birdsville Track rocky conditions. From then on the graders where out in full force and the road in very good condition.

What I call good may differ from another persons perspective, as I am comparing it to other times that we have driven it.

Re tyre pressures, I drop my about 20% when on the dirt, do not rush and have had no problems, but will come down to your driving habits.

When we were staying in Copley, one man also in a Prado said the road up to Marree was in poor condition and he ruined one tyre when he hit a wash away at speed. He ruined his tyre by his own making, highway tyre pressures and a speed.

Slow down, take your time and this will greatly minimise tyre problems.

Have a great trip.


Cheers

Stephen

Thanks Farquo. I anticipated the lack of firewood and spent today collecting firewood and filling 20 litre buckets with kindling and dry leaves from my limitless supply just over my back fence. My house backs on to the O'Bahn reserve in Paradise and there is heaps of fuel load just lying around.

Actually, it makes me nervous in summer and the council never clean it other than a quick mow twice a year.

Thanks again for the update.

Fab.